The Science of Early Life Toxic Stress for Pediatric Practice and Advocacy.

The Science of Early Life Toxic Stress for Pediatric Practice and Advocacy.

Filed under: Depression Treatment

Pediatrics. 2013 Jan 21;
Johnson SB, Riley AW, Granger DA, Riis J

Young children who experience toxic stress are at high risk for a number of health outcomes in adulthood, including cardiovascular disease, cancers, asthma, and depression. The American Academy of Pediatrics has recently called on pediatricians, informed by research from molecular biology, genomics, immunology, and neuroscience, to become leaders in science-based strategies to build strong foundations for children’s life-long health. In this report, we provide an overview of the science of toxic stress. We summarize the development of the neuroendocrine-immune network, how its function is altered by early life adversity, and how these alterations then increase vulnerability to disease. The fact that early environments shape and calibrate the functioning of biological systems very early in life is both a cautionary tale about overlooking critical periods in development and reason for optimism about the promise of intervention. Even in the most extreme cases of adversity, well-timed changes to children’s environments can improve outcomes. Pediatricians are in a unique position to contribute to the public discourse on health and social welfare by explaining how factors that seem distal to child health may be the key to some of the most intractable public health problems of our generation. We consider the challenges and opportunities for preventing toxic stress in the context of contemporary pediatric practice.
HubMed – depression

 

Psychiatric disorders related to polycystic ovary syndrome.

Filed under: Depression Treatment

Endokrynol Pol. 2012; 63(6): 488-91
Kr?pu?a K, Bidzi?ska-Speichert B, Lenarcik A, Tworowska-Bardzi?ska U

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age. The psychiatric disorders accompanying the clinical symptoms and hormonal abnormalities are important, but underestimated, aspects in PCOS. Obesity, hirsutism, acne, menstrual disturbances and infertility play important roles in lowering the quality of life in women with PCOS. Depression and anxiety are more often observed in patients with PCOS than in healthy women. Some authors consider that there is a relationship between valproic acid treatment of bipolar disease and PCOS. There have been reports that in women with PCOS anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and other unspecified eating disorders are found more often than in the general population. (Endokrynol Pol 2012; 63 (6): 488-491).
HubMed – depression

 

Do intercultural factors play a role in exacerbating psychiatric symptoms?

Filed under: Depression Treatment

Singapore Med J. 2013 Jan; 54(1): e16-7
Ong YL, Yap HL

We report the case of a 29-year-old mixed-race woman suffering from recurrent major depressive episodes, with suicidal ideation and risk, involving several inpatient admissions. A comorbid diagnosis of borderline personality disorder was also recorded in one of her previous inpatient admissions. During her last inpatient admission, a multidisciplinary case discussion and review of the patient’s life highlighted several possible intercultural trigger factors that could have contributed to the exacerbation of her psychiatric illness. We emphasise the need to explore intercultural predisposing and precipitating factors for a more complete psychodynamic understanding of psychiatric illnesses among the multiracial population of Singapore. This also adds to the discussion on the management of such patients with the option of formal in-depth psychotherapy in adjunct to medication. This may prevent recurrent relapses, modify suicide intent and reduce the necessity for inpatient treatment, which will be cost-effective and result in efficacious treatment.
HubMed – depression

 

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